Guides on the 1916 Walking Tour OF DUBLIN
Meet the historians and authors who are guides on Dublin’s 1916 Walking Tour.
Lorcan Collins
Lorcan Collins founded the 1916 Rebellion Walking Tour in 1996. For the past 28 years he has conducted thousands of tours around Dublin City and the sites of the revolutionary period. He is the author of four best-selling books on revolutionary Ireland including The Easter Rising (O’Brien Press) which he wrote with Conor Kostick in 2001.
He conceived the idea and is Series Co-Editor of 16 Lives, a collection of sixteen books on the executed leaders of the Rising. His biography of James Connolly (O’Brien Press) was published in 2012 as part of 16 Lives. He wrote the number one bestselling volume 1916; The Rising Handbook in 2016. His latest book is Ireland’s War of Independence; The IRA’s Guerrilla Campaign 1919-21. He has lectured extensively in the United States having visited over thirty Colleges and Universities and has given talks in Poland, Canada and Australia. Lorcan is also a regular contributor to historical journals, radio and TV in Ireland.
Donal Fallon
Donal Fallon is a historian, author and host of the very popular Three Castles Burning Podcast. Donal’s books include two volumes of Come Here To Me, a biography of John MacBride in the 16 Lives series and more recently The Lamplighters of the Phoenix Park. He is also known for his TV and Radio work and is a former Historian-in-Residence to Dublin City Council.
Phelim Drew
Phelim Drew is a Dubliner with a lifelong interest in Irish Revolutionary History. Phelim has worked as a guide in Dublin’s award winning 14 Henrietta Street Tenement Museum. Phelim is also a celebrated actor who has appeared in the Abbey Theatre, Ireland’s National Theatre and in a number of films including The Commitments and My Left Foot. The acclaimed singer and musician often regales tour groups with a song or two.
Apart from giving the 1916 Rebellion Walking Tour, Phelim also occasionally hosts our Ballads and History Tours on Saturday afternoons.
Eoin Walsh
Eoin Walsh is a native of Co Kilkenny with a Masters Degree in Modern Irish History from University College Dublin (supervised by Professor Diarmaid Ferriter). Eoin specialises in the Irish revolutionary era (1913-1923) and has authored a history book focusing on the War of Independence and Civil War, Kilkenny, In Times of Revolution, 1900-23. He has published numerous history articles for various newspapers and magazines.
Dr. Caitlin White
Daniel Eglington-Carey
Daniel Eglington-Carey is a historian and tour guide specialising in the Irish Revolution and Ireland’s historic houses. Daniel has also worked as a guide in Glasnevin Cemetery since 2016 and regularly contributes to historical journals and newspapers.
Shane MacThomáis – A Little Tribute
Shane MacThomáis was a tour guide on the 1916 Walking Tour for 14 years having joined us in the year 2000. Shane was the son of the popular and influential Dublin historian and Republican activist Éamonn MacThomáis. Shane was a brilliant historian of the Revolutionary period and authored a number of books including Dead Interesting and Glasnevin, Ireland’s Necropolis. Shane was the Chief Guide in Glasnevin Cemetery for many years and starred in the epic documentary film One Million Dubliners. We sadly lost Shane in 2014 and he is buried in his beloved Glasnevin.
Shane Kenna – An Appreciation
Dr Shane Kenna was a guide on the 1916 Tour for five years. Shane studied modern Irish history focusing on late Victorian and Edwardian Irish nationalism. He was one of Ireland’s finest experts on the Fenians and wrote four brilliant books in the space of two years, including War in the Shadows: The Irish-American Fenians Who Bombed Britain and a study of Jeremiah O’Donovan Rossa. Shane also wrote a very fine biography of Thomas MacDonagh for the 16 Lives series and a volume on The Invincibles. Shane worked in Kilmainham Gaol as a guide and also lectured at Trinity College Dublin. We sadly lost Shane to cancer in 2017 at the age of 33, a great loss to his family and friends and indeed to the world of Irish history and you can read his obituary here in the Irish Times.